Yarn-spool winding machine with automatic spool-exchanging device



May 18, 1965 s, FURST YARN-SPOOL WINDING MACHINE WITH AUT OMATIC SPOOL-EXCHANGING DEVICE Filed June 19, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet l STEFAN FURST May 18, 1965 s, FURsT 1,

YARN-SPOOL WINDING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC SPOOL-EXCHANGING DEVICE Filed June 19, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 m m 6/? w F/Ga P m r 1 I i 6 20 fi/a 0 l/a L90 STEFAN FURsT Br? 18, 1965 s, FURST @lfifi YARN-SPOOL WINDING MACHINE WITH AUTOMATIC SPOOL-EXCHANGING DEVICE Filed June 19, 1963 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 M Ma 0 50 I. CL 5 @{CAM 1459) 510550 63/; CLAMP OPEN d ARM I68 AND DOFFER W I69 LEFT MAGAZINE up (CAM I55 now v I M/vEA/roP:

FOLLOWER STEFAN FURsT CUTTER 608 OFF f CLOSED CUT United States Patent 0 3,184,174 YARN-SPOGL WlNDlNG MACH WITH AUTO= MATE PQLEXHANGHNG DEVICE Stefan Fiirsi, Monchen-Giadbach, Germany, assignor to Walter Reiners, Monchen-Giadbach, Germany Filed June 19, 1963, Ser. No. 289349 (Ilaims priority, applicatiozn lgirmany, .l'une 22, 1962,

9 10 Claims. (Cl. 242-355) My invention relates to machines for rewinding coils of yarn, for example spinning cops, into larger yarn packages of a desired shape and size, such as cross-wound spools of the types called cheeses and cones.

In one of its more particular but not exclusive aspects,

1y invention concerns improvements of machines according to my Patent 3,092,340 for Yarn-Package Winding Machine, assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Such machines are equipped with a knotting device for tying the yarn from a take-up spool together with the yarn from the yarn-supply coil in the event of yarn breakage or substitution of an exhausted coil, and also comprise automatic means for removing a fully wound yarn package from the winding location and substituting it by a new spool core to receive the next package.

In textile manufacturing practice it is customary to prevent cheeses or other yarn packages from running entirely empty, for example when using such yarn packages in beaming creels where a large number of packages are being emptied at the same time. The withdrawal of yarn from all packages, for example 668, on such a creel is discontinued as soon as the first package is exhausted, in order to prevent frequent stoppage of the beaming operation by subsequent exhaustion of other individual packages. The remaining packages, still containing an amount of yarn, are then returned to the winder shop to be refilled up to full diameter. It has been impossible so far to effect such refilling operation in automatic winding machines because these permit commencing the winding operation after completion of a yarn package only when a bare spool core is substituted. Hence, if an attempt were made to insert an only partially exhausted package instead of an empty spool core, the result would be faulty because the machines do not provide in such a case for tying the yarn from the remainder on the package to the yarn coming from the supply coil.

It is an object of my invention to improve winding machines of the above-mentioned type having means for automatically substituting a completed take-up spool by a new spool core in such a manner that the machine is capable of operating normally with cores still containing a remaining winding of yarn, regardless of the amount and diameter of the remainder.

To this end, and in accordance with a feature of my invention, I provide the machine with a sensing member responsive to the presence of a residual yarn winding on the new core, and connect the sensing member with control means which operate to either prevent or permit attaching to the core the yarn coming from the supply coil, depending upon whether the sensing member ascertains the absence or presence of a residual yarn winding respectively.

According to another feature of my invention, it is preferable to mount the sensing member on the supply device or magazine which passes the new cores to the winding location in substitution for a completed take-up spool, so that, prior to commencement of the take-up spool exchange, the automatic mechanisms of the machine are already prepared if the next core to be placed into winding position still carries a remainder winding.

Patented May 1%, 1%65 According to a further feature of the invention, the machine is provided with a normally inactive Zyarnsevering device which, when actuated, interrupts the yarn on its path from the supply coil to the previously filled take-up spool under control by the above-mentioned sensing member in response to presence of a remainder winding on the new spool core next to be inserted into the winding location. Such severance of the yarn has the effect that when the spool-exchanging operation proper commences, the yarn is cut from the supply and is wound upon the completed spool which is then still rotating under its momentum. When now the take-up spool exchange is being performed, the device normally operating to attach the yarn to the newly inserted core no longer encounters the yarn on its normal path, and hence remains ineffective. When the take-up spool exchange is completed, the yarn guard will respond to the absence of yarn on the normal yarn path between supply coil and take-up spool, thus initiating the operation or" the yarn-end seeking and knotting devices which tie the yarn from the supply coil together with the free end of the yarn coming from the remainder winding on the spool core just inserted.

According to still another feature of my invention, the above-mentioned severing device is electrically controlled, preferably by means of an electromagnet having an energizing circuit connected with a control switch actuable by the sensing member. Preferably, another switch is serially connected in the control circuit and closed in dependence upon attainment of a given diameter of the yarn package being wound. switch then prevents operation of the severing device as long as the yarn package is not completed. The severing device is preferably mounted between the yarn tensioner and the take-up spool so that the yarn coming from the supply coil is still held in the yarn tensioner and can be seized by the gripper members of the yarn seeking and knotting devices at a location between supply coil and yarn tensioner.

Due to the fact that remainder windings of yarn on different cores are apt to be differently thick, the proper centering of the cores in the journalling clamps of the winding machine may be troublesome. To reliably secure accurate centering of such cores, and in accordance with another feature of my invention, the clamping device for the spool cores is provided with a centering device which, regardless of the thickness of any remainder winding on the core to be clamped, provides for accurate adjustment of the core with respect to the journalling axis of the spool-holding clamps. Such a centering device is not only of advantage in cases where an automatic winding machine is to be operated with new spool cores that may or may not have remainder windings and are therefore provided with a sensing member for response to the presence of such remainder windings, but is gen-.

erally applicable to automatic winding machines suitable for the refilling of partially filled spools. That is, such a centering device according to the invention is also advantageous in cases where an automatic winding machine is provided exclusively for use with cores having remainder windings and in which, therefore, no device is provided for attaching the yarn to the newly inserted core. With such machines, too, the journal-clamping device for the take-up spools is considerably improved by providing it with a centering device which, according to the invention, determines the thickness of the winding on the core to be clamped and adjusts the clamping device to the center of the spool core.

The centering device, according to a more specific feature of my invention, preferably consists of a feeler lever pivotally mounted on the clamping device and having a tip that abuts against the core being inserted into the The second clamping device. This assures a reliable adjustment of the clamping device to the center of the core.

It is of advantage that the cam mechanism for controlling the above-described component devices be adapted for sequencing them in such a manner that first the empty core is placed to the winding position and only thereafter the clamping device is moved toward the core to the clamping position. This has the consequence that the new cores must travel past the clamping device. To make this possible, it is preferable to give the feeler lever of the above-mentioned centering device a pivotal mounting so that it can turn sidewise when travelling past one or more cores and can return to the proper position for bracing itself against the lowermost core when the feeler lever has reached the end of its travel path.

. In order to prevent the centering feeler lever from gliding on the core during the entire time of the winding operation, it is preferable to provide only one side of the clamping device, namely the one on which the feeler lever is mounted, with an axially displaceable dowel member, whereas the clamping dowel on the opposite side is journalled at a fixed location relative to the spool-holding frame. This has the advantage that the core, when being clamped fast, is shifted axially toward the fixed clamping member not carrying the feeler lever, thus eliminating the contact engagement between the feeler lever and the core.

The above-mentioned and other advantages and features of my invention will be apparent from, and will be described in, the following with reference to the embodiments of the invention illustrated by way of example on the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side elevation, partly in section, of a winding station which forms part of a multi-station winding machine.

. FIGS. 2 and 3 relate to the same machine and show front views of its yarn-guiding drum and take-up spool assembly in different operating stages respectively.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a modified assembly generally corresponding to that of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a lateral view of a modified spool-core magazine portion applicable in a machine otherwise corre sponding to that of FIGS. 1 to 4.

' FIG. 6 shows in section an electromagnetically controlled spool clamping device which forms part of the machine according to FIG. 1; and

FIG. 7 is an explanatory time-sequence or cam-curve diagram of the same machine.

The illustrations exemplify embodiments of the invention in conjunction with yarn-package winding machines of the type and general design corresponding to my Patents 3,033,478 and 3,092,340 to which reference may be had, if desired, with respect to features not essential to the present inventionproper. However, various components and operations known from the just-mentioned patents are included in the following description of the machines illustrated on the accompanying drawings, in order to make the invention more readily understandable. The reference numerals in the accompanying drawings are identical with those used for respective functionally similar components in Patent 3,092,340.

Referring to FIG. 1, the yarn F to be wound into a yarn package passes from a supply coil A through a yarn tensioner T and past a yarn guard 37 to a yarn-guiding drum 22 and thence onto the core of a take-up spool 21. A mandrel (not shown) for accommodating the supply coil A in proper position, as well as the tensioner T, the yarn guard 37 and the bearings for the shaft of the guid ing drum 22 are mounted on the rigid frame and supporting structure of the machine composed of mounting plates, such as the one denoted by 201, and interconnecting tubular beam structures 202, 203 and 204. The takeup spool 21 is rotatably and removably mounted on a spool holder (FIGS. 1, 2, 6) which constitutes a journalling frame and has a pivot shaft 140 (FIG. 1) secured to the frame structure 201 of the machine. The body of yarn wound up on the take-up spool 21 rests upon the cylindrical periphery of the guiding drum 22. When the drum 22 is being driven at constant angular speed, it entrains the take-up spool 21 by frictional engagement so that the yarn F is wound up on the spool 21 at a constant linear travelling speed corresponding to the peripheral speed of the guiding drum 22. The drum 22 is provided on its peripheral surface with the conventional guiding groove 2217 (FIG. 2) which forms a helical loop closed upon itself, so as to cause the arriving yarn F to reciprocate axially along the take-up spool 21 while being wound, thus producing the desired cross-Wound yarn package (cheese).

The yarn-guiding drum 22 is driven from a friction roller 16 which is kept in continuous rotation at constant speed as long as the machine is in operative condition. Driving force is transmitted from friction wheel 16 to drum 22 by means of an intermediate friction roller 25 linked to a bell-crank lever 23 which is pivoted to the frame structure of the machine. The lever 23 is actuated by a control rod 41 to place the intermediate roller 25 into and out of coupling engagement between the driving roller 16 and the drum 22. The friction roller 25 is in active engagement with roller 16 and drum 22 during normal winding operation but is removed therefrom, under control by the rod 41., in the event the yarn F is absent at the location of the yarn guard 37, which absence may be due to yarn breakage or to depletion of the supply coil A. Such events, therefore, cause the drum 22 and hence the take-up spool 21 to be stopped until the yarn breakage is mended by knotting the broken ends together, or by first exchanging a full coil for the depleted coil A and thereafter knotting its yarn end together with the end coming from the take-up spool 21. As will also be further explained, the drum 22 is also stopped by disengagement of roller 25 during exchange of the take-up spool.

Linked to the spool holder 20 is a damper rod 102 connected to a dash pot D. Mounted on rod 102 is a disc 103 which cooperates with a lever 104 biased by a spring 1040 so as to somewhat compensate the weight of the spool-holder assembly in order to prevent excessive pressure between spool 21 and drum 22. The lever 104 carries an entrainer pin engaging an arcuate slot in a cam segment 105 which is spring-biased clockwise relative to the lever 104 so that normally the upper end of the slot in segment 105 abuts against the pin of lever 104. Thus the segment 105 is normally entrained by lever 104 when the latter turns counterclockwise as the rod 102 and the disc 103 are being lifted by the spool holder 20 while the package of yarn being wound onto the spool 21 increases its diameter. The segment 105 is engageable by a control lever 106 which is pivoted to the frame structure of the machine at 106:; and is biased by a spring 141 for counterclockwise rotation. Normally, however, the upper end of lever 106 abuts against the peripheral cam portion of the segment 105 so that the lever 106 remains in the position 106' shown by a dotand-dash line.

I When the take-up spool 21 is filled and hence the disc 103 on rod 102 raised to the illustrated position, cam 105 turns counterclockwise, until lever 106 is released and the spring 141 snaps the lever 106 counterclockwise to the full-line position shown. During such motion, an arm 107 of lever 106 places its hook-shaped end 109 beneath a lever 45, thus preventing the lever 45 from continuing an oscillating motion normally imparted thereto by means of a linking rod 46. The lever 45 is pivoted to a drive-control lever 31 which in turn is pivoted to the stationary frame structure of the machine and whose upper end is linked by the above-mentioned control rod 41 to the bellcrank lever 23. The linking rod 46 is acted upon by a dog member 11, which, during operation of the machine, is kept reciprocating on its shaft and imparts to the lever 45 an oscillating motion for testing the operating condition of the winding station to effect stoppage of the winde, res, 1 v4 ing operation upon occurrence of yarn breakage or supply-coil depletion or completion of a take-up spool.

When the take-up spool 21 is filled, with the result that the lever 1% has been released and snapped to the illustrated position and arrested the lever 45, the drive-control lever 31 is likewise prevented from oscillating under the action of the reciprocating dog 11 and is stopped in the illustrated position in which the rod 41 shifts the intermediate drive roller away from roller 16 and drum 22. Consequently, the winding operation is now stopped and the take-up spool 21 can now be removed from the holder 29 and substituted by an empty spool core to be filled with yarn during the next winding operation.

During the stopped condition brought about by counterclockwise defiection of cam-control lever 166 from the illustrated position, the yarn guard 37 is likewise held arrested by the lever and cannot turn clockwise about its pivot. Normally, the yarn guard 37 is biased by gravity or by a spring (not shown) to turn clockwise into feeler contact with the yarn F normally extending under proper tension between the tensioner T and the guiding arm 22. When due to yarn breakage or depletion of the supply coil A the yarn F is absent at the location of the yarn-guard tip, the yarn guard 37 will deflect clockwise from the illustrated position.

Machines of this kind are preferably equipped with automatic yarn-knotting and supply-coil exchanging devices, for example such as those described and illustrated in my US. Patents No. 2,733,870, No. 3,077,311, No. 3,078,054, or No. 3,033,478, all assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Since the design and operation of the knotting and coil-exchanging devices is not essential to the present invention, it will suffice to mention that the operation of these devices is released by the deflection of the yarn guard 37 from the normal position occupied when the yarn is under proper tension at the location of the guard tip. Consequently by locking the guard 37 in response to completion of the take-up spool 21, the guard 37 cannot respond to any simultaneous occurrence of yarn breakage or supply-coil depletion and cannot put the auxiliary knotting and coil-exchanging devices into operation during the period in which the completed spool is being removed and substituted by a new core. At the time the next winding operation is commenced, the yarn F is again under proper tension so that the yarn guard 37, when released by the oscillating lever 45, can again initiate a knotting or supply-coil exchanging operation in consequence of any subsequent yarn breakage or depletion of coil A.

The cam-controlled lever 1% has another arm E42 which is linked by a connecting rod 143 with a trigger detent 144 cooperating with one cam disc 145 of a group of coaxially joined cams rotatably seated on a cam shaft 146. The shaft Ltd is continuously driven at constant speed and tends to rotate the cam group counterclockwise through a slip clutch (not shown) which permits continued rotation of shaft 14d when the cam is kept arrested by engagement of the detent 144 with a notch 139 in cam 14-5.

The cam 145 carries a dog pin for cooperation with the nose 189 of the detent 14 so as to turn the detent clockwise about its pivot to the illustrated position when the pin 18%, during the last portion of the counterclockwise rotation of earn 145, is engaged by the nose 189. Another cam of the group, located coaxially behind cam 145, cooperates with a follower 148 (FIG. 1, curve 0 in FIG. 7) which is biased by a spring 175 (MG. 1) into engagement with the cam and acts upon a control rod 14? through a helical compression spring fill, another cam 14-7 (FIG. 1 and curve in in FIG. 7) of the group acts through a roller 152a upon a bell-crank lever 152, and still another cam acts upon a follower pin 174 of a swing arm 15% (FlG. l and curve a in FIG. 7). The cam follower 148, the lever 152 and the swing arm 163 are mounted for pivotal motion about a single pivot shaft 167. These cam mechanisms are similar to 6 those shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 and 17 of Patent 3,092,340, with the exception of cam details and sequencing features described below, mainly with reference to PEG. '7 of the present disclosure.

The control rod has its upper end linked to an arm of the spool-holder frame (FIG. 1). The bellcrank lever 152 is connected by a linking rod 153 with a louble-arrn lever iii i which turns about the pivot shaft M of the spool-holder frame 29 and carries at its upper end a spool-core magazine 1155 (FIGS. 1 to 4). The outlet opening of the magazine is normally closed partially by a flap member 155 (FIG. 1) pivoted at 156a and biased to closing position by a spring 157. The closing flap 156 can be opened in opposition to the force of spring 157 to such an extent that one empty core S at a time can be removed from the magazine. In this respect, the magazine corresponds to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 16 of Patent 3,692,340.

A lug on the swing arm 16% is engageable with a yarndeflector 1'77 which has a yarn-guiding arm 182 and is rotatable on a fixed vertical pivot pin 18%) secured to a spool supporting sheet 13%. A spring 179 mounted on pin 1S6 biases the deflector 177 to keep the yarnguiding arm 132 turned to the rear (i.e. in the direction away from the observer in FIG. 1.) as long as the swing arm 1.6 5 is in normal position during winding operation. When thereafter the swing arm 168 turns clockwise to the position illustrated in FIG. 1, the yarn-guiding arm 132, is moved to its illustrated forward position and then entrains the yarn from the normal path to a position laterally of the completed yarn package so that the yarn end is placed out of the way and cannot interfere with the insertion of a new core from the magazine 1555. The location of the laterally deflected yarn is such that, when thereafter the spool journalling frame 29 is lowered, the yarn, held by the deflector 182, becomes clamped between the newly inserted spool core and one or" the clamping members of the clamping device still to be described. As a result, the yarn connection with the previously completed spool is torn, and the yarn is thereafter Wound upon the newly inserted core.

Pivotally mounted to an upper extension of swing arm 168 is an entrainer 169 biased by a spring 17!) and provided with a cam contour 1'72. at its hook-shaped end. Counterclockwise movement of swing arm 16% causes the active end of the entrainer to catch behind the core ends 173 of the filled take-up spool and then pull the spool from the winding location onto the supporting sheet member 18% mounted on the frame structure Ztll. The sheet has a concave portion to receive the dotted spool, thus preventing the spool from inadvertently rolling back to the winding location.

As the yarn package is being built up during Winding operation and increases its diameter, the spool journalling frame 2t) is gradually lifted counterclockwise about its pivot Mil, and the control rod 14) is then gradually pushed downward through its seating bore in the follower 48 under compression of the spring fill. Shortly before the completed spool is pulled off the journa-iling frame by the entrainer 169 (curve d in FIG. 7), the cam follower 14-8 is actuated (curve 0 in FIG. 7) to fully compress the spring 15th As a result, the journalling frame does not immediately drop toward the guide drum 22 but remains in lifted position until the follower 14S returns to its normal position.

The machine is equipped with an electromagnetic core clamping device 6115. (FIGS. 1 to 3) in combination with cam-controlled clamp-operating means and a feeler-controlled yarn-severing device. These will be described presently.

The electromagnetic spool-core clamping device separately shown in HQ. 6 is generally similar to those shown in the copending application Serial No. 27,403, filed May 6, 1960, now Patent No. 3,131,885 assigned to the assignee of the present invention. The clamping device comprises two clamping members 611a, 6111; (FIGS. 2, 6) which have respective dowel projections of reduced diameter to engage coaxially into the hollow of a tubular spool core 191. The member 611b is journalled at a fixed location in the journalling frame 2% The member 611a is axially displaceable in frame 26 and normally pressed to core-engaging position by a helical pressure 620 acting upon a magnetizable pin 622 which forms an armature for a magnet or solenoid coil 621. When the circuit 621a of coil 621 is energized, the pin 622 is drawn into the coil and pulls the clamp member 611a against a stop 623 so that the tubular core 191 is released for removal of the completed spool 21, and a new core can be inserted and thereafter clamped by deenergization of the solenoid coil 621.

For thus controlling the electric circuit 621a (FIG. 6) of the clamping device, the above-mentioned cam group on shaft 146 (FIG. 1) comprises another coaxial cam disc 145a (FIG. 1 and curve e in FIG. 7) which, when performing its single-turn rotation, operates the actuator 602 of an electric switch 661, thus closing the circuit of a currrent source 663 which energizes the electromagnet of the clamping device and thereby opens the device for releasing a full spool from the winding location on journalling frame 20.

FIG. 1 shows cam 1452 in normal position at standstill. At the illustrated moment, the cam groups has just been released to commence a counterclockwise rotation indicated by an arrow. The contour of cam 145.2 is such that the clamp-releasing circuit is closed by switch 661 immediately after commencement of the cam rotation and hence of the spool exchange, and the spool-core clamping device is then kept open during the major portion of the exchange-operation period, namely until after a new spool core has been placed from magazine 155 between the two dowel members of the clamping device.

This is apparent from the example of a suitable time sequence shown in FIG. 7 which may also serve as a straight-line development of the respective cam contours and relates to a single cam rotation from to 369 (along the abscissa). Curve e corresponds to the contour of cam 1452 and indicates that the clamping device is opened shortly after the start of the cam rotation. The diagram also indicates the corresponding motion (curve d) of the entrainer or doffer 169 which catches behind the core ends of a full spool before the clamp opens and then removes the spool before the magazine 155 is lowered upon the yarn-guiding drum 22 (curve m). Thereafter, the clamping device on arms 20 is centered (curve 0) relative to the tubular core now resting upon the drum. FIG. 7 also exemplifies by curve 1 an operation of feeler and cutter devices still to be described.

Mounted on the core magazine 155 is a feeler 604 (FIGS. 1, which, in the event a residual amount of yarn R has remained wound-up on the core, closes a switch 605 in the circuit between a current source 606 and an electromagnet 697 for actuating a yarn-severing device 608. The normally open switch 605 is connected in series with another normally open switch 609 whose actuating lever 610 closes the switch 669 as soon as a take-up spool is filled and the lever 106 has snapped to its full-line position. The yarn cutter 608, therefore, is actuated only if the feeler 604 has sensed a residual yarn winding R on a core to issue from the magazine and if the levers 106, 610 have responded to completion of a spool. Neither of these two conditions is alone sufficient to cause severance of the yarn by excitation of magnet 607.

Instead of the feeler lever 604, any other known and suitable sensing member can be employed for response to the presence of a yarn winding remaining on the tubular cores in the magazine. For example, instead of a feeler lever as shown on the drawing, a gliding feeler may be used. Applicable also are photoelectric sensors 8 operating in response to interruption of a light beam impinging upon a photocell or responsive to change in reflection of light. Utilizable for the same purposes is the change in dielectric constant, capacitance or other electrical parameters resulting from the presence of the yarn remainder on the spool cores.

As a rule, the thickness of a yarn winding remaining on a core may differ from core to core. For nevertheless securing a proper centering of the clamping device 611 on the journalling frame 20 onto the center axis of each tubular core 191, the clamping device 611 is provided with a centering device which takes into account the particular thickness of such remainder winding. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the centering device comprises a feeler lever 612 which is pivotally mounted at 613 upon the clamping device so that the feeler tip can rest against the adjacent end of the core 191. However, since first the lever arm 154 with the magazine 155 is lowered onto the yarn guiding drum 22 and only thereafter the spool journalling frame 20 with the clamping device 611 is lowered, the lowermost core 191 in the magazine must be capable of gliding past the feeler lever 612. For this purpose, the feeler lever is pivoted at 613 on a mounting bracket or angle piece at such a location that the feeler tip can move clockwise (FIG. 2) in the lowering direction of the magazine. A weight 614, which may form an integral part of the feeler member, normally turns the feeler lever 612 clockwise until the weight 614 rests upon the mounting bracket 615. However, at the moment when the tubular core 191 glides downwardly beyond the feeler lever, the feeler tip turns counterclockwise and drops back to the illustrated position as soon as the core has'fully passed by the feeler. The spacing between the tip of the feeler lever 612 and the center axis of the clamping device 611 corresponds to the diameter of the core. As a result, an accurate centering of the rotating clamping dowels of the clamping device 611 relative to the center axis of the cores is achieved regardless of the particular thickness of any remainder winding R. That is, when the remainder winding is thick, the feeler lever will hold the clamping device and the journalling frame 20 farther away from the guide drum 22 than when the winding is thin or there is no winding at all, thus limiting the downward travel of the frame 20 to the correct amount required for accurate centering.

As mentioned, it is not desirable to have the feeler lever 612 frictionally glide on the core 191 during the entire subsequent spool-winding operation. For this reason, it is preferable to have the clamping device 611, although it clamps and journals the core on both sides, only at one side provided with the above-described centering feeler 612, and to also provide an axially displaceable clamping dowel 611:: (FIG. 6) only on this one side, whereas the opposite dowel member 61112 of the clamping device is not axially displaceable in normal operation.

The performance of such a clamping device is apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3. FIG. 2 shows a stage reached immediately after lowering of the magazine 155. At this moment the tubular core 121 with a remainder winding R rests upon the yarn guiding drum 22. The clamping device 611 is already centered upon the core 191. As soon as thereafter the clamping member 61111 shifts to the left for firmly securing the core, the entire core is displaced toward the left to the position shown in FIGS. 3 and 6. As apparent from FIG. 3, the feeler 612 is now somewhat spaced from the core 121 and cannot rub or glide on the core during the subsequent winding operation.

FIG. 4 relating to a somewhat modified design of the magazine and centering devices, is represented at the same stage as FIG. 2. The magazine according to FIG. 4 accommodates a number of tubular cores of which only the core denoted by 191a carries a remainder winding R.

To make certain that the feeler lever 612 will abut against the respective cores 191 in the lowermost position, even if two cores without remainder windings are adjacent to each other, as is shown in FIG. 4 for the two lowermost cores, the ends of the cores 191 are provided with a peripheral step or shoulder 19117. This always provides for a gap between two adjacent cores at the teeler tip of the feeler lever 612.

However, it is not absolutely necessary to employ such cores of special shape. In lieu of cores of the design illustrated, the clamping device on may be provided with a latch that arrests it in the illustrated lowered position in the event the adjacent core does not have a remainder winding. In this case the feeler lever 612 does not perform a centering action but enters into operation only if, due to the presence or" a remainder winding on one or both of these cores, a gap exists between two adjacent cores.

As will be understood from the foregoing, a core-supplying device or magazine may either convey a single core at a time to the Winding location (FIGS. 2, 3) or it may contain a number of cores PEG. 4) or" which only the lowermost one is inserted at a time into the clamping device. When providin a teeler lever for centering the clamping device upon the axis of the core to be clamped, it may happen with a magazine for a plurality of cores that the feeler lever will not abut against the lowermost core but against one of the upper cores. For preventing this, a guide bar or rail is preferably applied for releasing the feeler lever only when it reaches approximately the height of the lowermost core. The bar then blocks the feeler lever as long as there is the possibility that it may abut against a core other than the lowermost one.

A guide bar of this kind is shown at 616 in FIG. 4. The rail is stationarily mounted along the path travelled by the feeler member 612 when the journalling frame 29 with the clamping device 611 is lowered past the magazine 1S5 toward the guiding drum 22. The feeler lever 614 has a pin 613 which engages the guide rail 61o during the downward travel and thereby turns the feeler lever about its pivot 613, thus rendering it inactive until the tip of the feeler lever 612 closely approaches the illustrated position where it is at the height of the lowermost core and can place itself against that core to properly center it with respect to the axis of the clamping members.

As mentioned, the core 191 is shifted to the left (FIGS. 2, 3, 6) during clamping operation so that the tip of the feeler lever 612 does not glide on the core 191 during the entire duration of the following winding run. The core 191 can thus be displaced relative to the magazine 155. As apparent from FIGS. 2 to 4, however, this has the consequence that the core 1?]; can no longer be covered with a yarn winding over its entire length. In order to avoid this, the supply magazine for the cores can be mounted for displacement in the direction of the core axes. Then, when the core 191 is being clamped fast between the clamping members, not only the lowermost core but the entire magazine 155 is shifted slightly toward the left.

FIG. shows a modified magazine device for supplying new cores with and without remainder winding, containing only one such core at a time. With such a supply or magazine device, the sensing member sea for re sponse to winding remainders may be mounted above the core as illustrated.

The above-described machine operates as follows.

When, during winding operation, the take-up spool 21 becomes increasingly filled with yarn, the diameter of the yarn package increases accordingly and causes the spool journalling frame 29 to progressively turn counterclockwise (upward) about its pivot Mil (FIG. 1). The disc ill?! on rod 3% participates in such upward motion.

When the take-up spool is completely filled, the disc 1673 has reached a position in which it causes the segment to release the control lever res which then drops away from the periphery of segment lilo and snaps counterclockwise uncler the action of spring 141. The lever 1% then shifts the linking rod 143 to the left and releases the detent 144 from cam 1451. The cam set can now rotate together with the shaft 146 under the driving action of the slip clutch (not shown). At the beginning of a single full revolution of the cam set, the swing arm 168 is turned counterclockwise (FIG. 1) by spring 175. The two horns 172 of entrainer 169 now enter beneath the core ends of the spool 21 so that these ends are placed into the curved portions 1173 of the respective horns (curved in FIG. 7). The frame 2% remains lifted by cam follower 14% (curve 0), then the cam s closes the switch Gill and thereby energizes the solenoid 621 (FIG. 6) which opens the core clamping device (curve 2 in FIG. 7). Now the filled spool is free for dotling operation. During the next following swinging motion of lever ass to the right (curve d in FIG. 7) the horns 172 of entrainer 16? take the spool 21 along and place it to position 21' on the concave portion at the right side of the supporting sheet 28%. in this position, the completed yarn package can remain until it is removed by hand or suitable conveying means within the period of time during which the next yarn package is being wound.

During the above-mentioned return motion of swing arm 16% from the spool-catching to the illustrated position, the yarn-guiding arm 182 of deflector 177 moves in the direction toward the observer of FIG. 1, due to the fact that the lug 176 of lever res abuts against the deilector 377. During this motion, the guide arm 182 seizes the yarn end P of the completed take-up spool and shifts the end forward (toward the observer). Now this yarn end is located in the vicinity of the yarn-guiding drum 2-2 at a point where subsequently the new, empty core is located, so that the yarn end will be clamped between the new core 191 (FIG. 6) and the adjacent dowel member 611:; when the new core is being clamped as described above.

Now the cam set, acting through the follower lever 152 and the linking rod 153, moves the magazine lever 154 clockwise (FIG. 1) about its pivot 14%, thus shifting the core magazine downwardly (curve m in FIG. 7), until the lowermost core in the magazine 155 touches the guiding drum 22. Then the cam-follower lever 143 is moved clockwise and causes the spool-journalling frame 2%) to move downwardly toward the lowermost position shown by a dash-and-dot line in MG. 1 (curve 0 in FIG. 7) until centering of the core by feeler lever 612 (FIGS. 2 to 4) takes place. At this time the laterally deflected yarn end from the completed spool 21' is located at a point where the next spool core will subsequently be clamped by the clamp member olla (FIG. 6).

The clamping device is now closed (curve 6 in FIG. 7) by opening or" switch dill (FIG. 1). The magazine 155 moves up (curve m in FIG. 7). The lowermost spool core, now clamped fast in the spool holder, passes out of the outlet opening of the magazine while temporarily forcing the flap 156 to the opening position. The fiap 156 thereafter closes the magazine so that only the lowermost core is removed therefrom, and the magazine moves up to the position illustrated in FIG. 1.

Assuming that the new core thus clamped and journalled on the spool holder frame i is bare of any yarn remainder, the switch 6&5 (FIG. 1) has remained open and the yarn-severing device 608 is inactive. Hence the yarn F continues to extend from the supply coil A through the tensioner T to the guiding drum 22 and is now connected to the new core clamped and journalled in frame 25 Consequently, after the above-described spool exchange is completed, the winding station is ready to resume the next Winding operation.

The winder drive is switched on under control by the dog pin 188 on cam 145a which acts upon the nose 189 of the detent 144 and shifts the linking'rod 143 toward the right. This returns the control lever 106 to the normal operating position shown by dot-and-dash lines. Due to the preceding downward motion of the spool holder 20, the weight-relieving lever 104 and the segment 105 have both turned counterclockwise about pivot 104a so that the upper end of lever 106 now rests against the peripheral contour portion of segment 105. Hence the force of spring 141 cannot turn the lever 1% to shift the rod 143, and a release of the detent member 144 is prevented.

Due to the just-mentioned motion of the control lever 106 to the dot-and-dash position, the oscillatable lever 45 is released from the latch hook 109 and can resume its oscillatory motion. This has the consequence that that the drive-control lever 31, during its subsequent oscillating motion about its pivot, acts through the control rod 41 to place the intermediate roller into frictional engagement with the driving roller 16 and the guiding drum 22, so that the winding operation is again commenced. When the yarn begins to be wound up upon the new core, the yarn end P is torn, thus separating the yarn of the new spool from the spool previously completed. To aid in severing the yarn, a sharp edge may be provided at the yarn-guiding portion 182 of the deflector lever 177, so that the pull exerted by the winding operation upon the yarn causes it to be forced against the edge.

A different operation takes place if the lowermost core in the magazine contains a yarn remainder acting on sensor 604 to close the switch 605. In this case, the snap motion of control lever from the dot-and-dash position to the illustrated position during spool exchange causes the severing device 608 to cut the yarn between tensioner T and guide drum 22. Therefore, when the yarn guard 37 is thereafter released, it is not restrained by the yarn but deflects clockwise beyond the illustrated position (FIG. 1), thus releasing a yarn knotting operation, as will be explained presently.

During spool exchange the yarn guard 37, biased for clockwise motion, is arrested by the lever to prevent the guard from putting the knotting or supply-coil exchanging devices of the machine into operation in response to any slackening of the yarn as may occur during the dofling and spool-exchanging interval. The particular design of the knotting and supply-coil exchanging devices are not essential to the present invention, any suitable known design being applicable as long as its operation is controlled or initiated by the deflection of the yarn guard 37. Preferably, however, the knotting and coil exchanging devices are of the type in which these devices are combined to form a travelling servicing unit which sequentially passes by the winding stations of the multi-station machine and is caused to stop and operate at a particular winding station only if the yarn guard in that station has become deflected in response to trouble. Such travelling servicing units suitable for the machine according to my present invention (without any modification) are illustrated and described in my Patents No. 3,033,478, No. 3,067,962, No. 3,077,311, and No. 3,078, 054.

For example the above-described machine according to the invention may be provided with a travelling servicing unit identical with the one illustrated and described in Patent No. 3,033,478. It will be understood that, for use of such a travelling servicing unit, the components of the spool-exchanging apparatus according to the present invention must be arranged accordingly; but the coaction of the apparatus with the knotter operating mechanisms of the travelling unit will be readily apparent from the use of identical reference numerals in FIG. 1 of the present disclosure and in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 of the patent. This applies, inter alia, to all reference numerals between 20 and 51,

the parts 50 and 51 in the present disclosure being under-' stood to act upon the same part 52 of the servicing unit shown in FIG. 1 of Patent No. 3,033,478 as the parts 50, 51 in the latter patent. How the servicing unit, including the knotting and coil-exchanging devices, is placed into action by deflection of the yarn guard 37 according to FIG. 1 of the present disclosure will be described presently.

During operation of the machine, the dog 11 on shaft 8 (FIG. 1) is continuously reciprocated by a crank shaft 8. As described, this oscillating motion is transmitted by rod 46 to the lever 45. The right arm 47 of lever 45 (FIG. 1) forms a lug 48 which, when the yarn guard 37 is in the illustrated position of normal operation, can catch behind the upper portion of the yarn guard when ever, during oscillating movement of lever 45 about its pivot, the arm 47 is in lowermost position. However, when due to breakage or absence of yarn the yarn guard 37 is deflected clockwise from the illustrated position, the lug 48, during its clockwise stroke, will place itself upon the tip of the yarn guard 37. This has the result that during the oscillating motion imparted to lever 45 by the rod 46, a pushing force is exerted by lever arm 47 upon the lower end of the drive-control lever 31 and turns lever 31 counterclockwise in opposition to a biasing spring. This releases the pawl arm of a latch member 33 from a a catch recess of lever 31. Consequently, the lever 31 remains deflected counterclockwise until, at a later time, the control lever 31is pushed back to the original position.

The just-mentioned counterclockwise motion of the drive-control lever 31 from the illustrated position is transmitted through the control rod 41 to the bell-crank lever 23 which now moves the itnermediate friction roller 25 away from the driving roller 16 and the drum 22, thus preventing the winding operation. During subsequent counterclockwise motion of lever 23, the coupling roller 25 is placed into engagementwith drum 22 and a reversing roller 18 whose shaft is continuously driven counterclockwise. This causes the guiding drum 22 to rotate in the unwinding direction in order to expose a sufiicient length of yarn from the take-up spool or from the yarn remainder R of a core as required for seizing and knotting of the yarn ends. Such a seizing and knotting operation is more fully explained in Patent No. 3,033,478 and of no further interest with respect to the present invention proper.

A horizontal tappet Ellis linked to the latch member 33 and carries an extension 51. If, due to breakage or absence of yarn, the latch member 33 turns clockwise about its pivot as described above, the tappet 50 moves toward the right. Its extension 51 thus enters into the travelling range of a switch arm mounted on the travelling servicing unit to release the knotting and servicing operation as more fully shown and described in Patent No. 3,033,478.

Consequently, due to the operation of severing device 608 under control by sensor 604, and the resulting release of yarn guard 37 from the lever 45 upon completion of the spool exchange, the winding operation in a machine according to the present invention is started only after the yarn end from the remainder R on a newly inserted core is tied together with the yarn end coming from the supply coil A. Only then is the yarn F again tautened between tensioner T and drum 22, thus holding the yarn guard 37 in the illustrated position required for the drive control lever 31 to put the winder drive in operation.

It will be understood that, to the extent necessary, the disclosure in my above-mentioned patents is to be considered part of the disclosure in the present application with respect to features that may be associated with, but do not constitute features of, the present invention proper. It should further be understood that the present invention is also applicable in conjunction with winding machines other than those comprising a travelling servicing unit 13 in accordance with the principles embodied in the machines of said patents.

To'those skilled in the art, it will be obvious upon a study of this disclosure, that my invention can be modified in various other respects and can be applied in conjunction with yar-n winding machines other than illustrated and described herein, without departing from the essential features of my invention and within the scope of the claims annexed hereto.

I claim:

1. A yarn-winding machine, comprising a winding mechanism having a spool-core jour-nalling means for accommodating a take-up spool to be wound, a coresupplying exchange mechanism for substituting a new core for a full spool on said journalling means, means for supplying yarn to be wound on said core, means for at tachment of the yarn to a new core preparatory to winding the yarn thereupon, a sequencing control device having releasing means responsive to completion of a spool and being connected to said exchange mechanism and to said attaching means for controlling them normally to sequentially operate when a spool is completed, a sensing member responsive to presence of a remainder winding on the new core being substituted by said exchange mechanism, and control means connected to said sensing member and controlled thereby to prevent the yarn from being supplied to said attachment means when the new core has a remainder winding.

2. In a yarn-winding machine according to claim 1, said exchange mechanism having core holding means movable toward and away from the core journalling location of said journalling means for passing a new core from said holding means onto said journalling means, and said sensing member being mounted on said core holding means for response to presence of a yarn winding on the new core in said holding means.

3. A yarn-winding machine, comprising a winding mechanism having spool-core journalling means for accommodating a take-up spool to be wound, yarn-path forming means defining a given path for yarn to be wound from a supply onto the spool on said journalling means, a core-supplying exchange mechanism for substituting a new core for a full spool on said journalling means, means for attachment of yarn to a new core preparatory to winding the yarn thereupon, a sequencing control device having releasing means responsive to completion of a spool and being connected to said exchange mechanism and to said attaching means for controlling them normally to sequentially operate when a spool is completed, a sensing member responsive to presence of a remainder winding on the new core being substituted by said exchange mechanism, a normally inactive yarn severing device located at said yarn path and engageable with the yarn for severing the spool from the supply, and control means connecting said sensing member with said severing device and actuable by the completion of a spool for operating said severing device in response to said sensing member, whereby the yarn from the supply to the spool is severed and thereby prevented from passing along said yarn-path to said attachment means when the new core has a remainder winding.

4. In a yarn-winding machine according to claim 3, said control means for said severing device comprising an electric control circuit having a first switch controlled by said sensing member and having a second switch operable independcntly of said first switch, said two switches being electrically interconnected for operating said severing device only when both said switches are actuated, said second switch being connected with said means responsive to spool completion whereby said severing device is in operative condition only during operation of said exchange mechanism.

5. In a yarn-winding machine according to claim 3, said journalling means comprising a core clamping device engageable on axially opposite sides with a core to be journalled and controllable to release the core, a control mechanism responsive to a given maximum diameter of the spool wound onto the core and connected to said clamping device for controlling it to release the core when the spool on the core is completed; and a centering device mounted on said clamping device and engageable with the core to be journalled for centering it relative to said clamping device prior to closing of said clamping device.

6. A yarn-winding machine, comprising a winding mechanism having spool-core iournalling means for accommodating a take-up spool being wound, a core-supply exchange mechanism for substituting a new core for a full spool on said journalling means, yarn-path means comprising a tensioner for yarn to be wound onto the spool core, means for attachment of yarn to a new core preparatory to winding the yarn thereupon, a sequencing control device having releasing means responsive to completion of a spool and being connected to said exchange mechanism and to said attaching means for controlling them normally to sequentially operate when a spool is completed, a sensing member responsive to presence of a remainder winding on the new core being substituted by said exchange mcchanism, a normally inactive yarn severing device mounted between said yarn tensioner and said journalling means, and control means connecting said sensing member with said severing device and actuable by the completion of a spool for causing said severing device to sever the yarn upon response of said sensing member to a new core having a remainder winding so as to prevent the yarn from passing along said yarn-path to said attachment means.

7. A yarn-winding machine, comprising a winding mechanism having a spool-core journalling means for accommodating a take-up spool being wound, said journalling means being movable, as said take-up spool is being rotatably wound, between a first position at which a new winding of the spool is initiated and a second position at which the winding of the spool is completed, said journalling means having a core clamping device engageable on axially opposite ends of a core to be journalled in said first position of said journalling means and controllable to release the core in said second position of said journalling means, a control mechanism responsive to a given maximum diameter of the spool wound onto the core and connected to said clamping device for controlling it to release the core when the spool on the core is completed; an exchange mechanism for substituting a completed spool by a new core, said exchange mechanism having core supply means adapted for accommodating cores containing a remainder winding of yarn, said control mechanism comprising sequencing means for advancing said core supply means from a withdrawn position to pass a core to a location corresponding to the first position of said journalling means and then passing said journalling means with said clamping device to said first position of said journalling means for clamping the axially opposite sides of the core; and a centering device connected with said clamping device and movable together therewith to said first position of said journalling means, said centering device being engageable with the periphery of the core for centering said clamping device radially relative to the ends of the core, said sequencing means being adapted for ac tuating said clamping device to clamp the core and for returning said core supply means to said withdrawn position thereof after said clamping device is centered relative to the core by said centering device.

8. In a yarn-winding machine according to claim 7, said centering device comprising a feeler lever pivotally rotatable on said clamping device and abuttable against the core to be centered.

9. In a yarn-winding machine according to claim 7, said clamping device having two axially spaced dowel members for clamping the core between each other, one of said dowel members being mounted at a fixed location of said journalling means, said other dowel member being axially displaceable relative to said journalling means for clamping and releasing the core whereby the core is shifted axially toward said one dowel member when being clamped, said centering device having a feeler lever mounted on said clamping device near said other dowel member so as to become disengaged from the core when the core is being shifted during clamping.

10. In a yarn-winding machine according to claim 7, said core supply means having a magazine structure adapted to simultaneously accommodate a plurality of cores, said centering device having a feeler lever pivotally rotatable on said clamping device and abuttable against the core to be centered, and a guide rail engageable with said feeler lever during a portion of the advancing travel of said core supply means for maintaining said lever deflected from the cores in said supply means during said travel portion, whereby said feeler lever is released by said rail for centering operation only when said lever is close to the core to be centered.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,092,340 6/63 Furst '242 3s.s

MERVIN STEIN, Priniary Examiner. 

1. A YARN-WINDING MACHINE, COMPRISING A WINDING MECHANISM HAVING A SPOOL-CORE JOURNALLING MEANS FOR ACCOMMODATING A TAKE-UP SPOOL TO BE WOUND, A CORESUPPLYING EXCHANGE MECHANISM FOR SUBSTITUTING A NEW CORE FOR A FULL SPOOL ON SAID JOURNALLING MEANS, MEANS FOR SUPPLYING YARN TO BE WOUND ON SAID CORE, MEANS FOR AT TACHMENT OF THE YARN TO A NEW CORE PREPARATORY TO WINDING THE YARN THEREUPON, A SEQUENCING CONTROL DEVICE HAVING RELEASING MEANS RESPONSIVE TO COMPLETION OF A SPOOL AND BEING CONNECTED TO SAID EXCHANGE MECHANISM AND TO SAID ATTACHING MEANS FOR CONTROLLING THEM NORMALLY TO SEQUENTIALLY OPERATE WHEN A SPOOL IS COMPLETED, A SENSING MEMBER RESPONSIVE TO PRESENCE OF A REMAINDER WINDING 